Referendum

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost of holding a referendum relating to council tax increases for the average  (a) county,  (b) district and  (c) unitary local authority;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost of holding a referendum on a local issue for the average  (a) county,  (b) district and  (c) unitary local authority.

Bob Neill: The provisional figures in my Department's impact assessment for the council tax referendums consultation paper published on 30 July 2010, show that the estimated costs was around £70,000 to £250,000. This would be around £1.50 per elector, or around 5 pence per elector if a local referendum was held at the same time as an election in the area concerned. The impact assessment is available to view on the departmental website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/vetocounciltaxincreasesconsult
	An impact assessment, on the Localism Bill covering referendums' costs will be published in due course.
	We believe our referendum proposals will be more democratic, especially since the right to veto excessive council tax increases will replace the top-down system of council tax capping by Whitehall, which gives no say to local residents.